JUSTICE MINISTER ADDRESSES WAR CRIMES DOCUMENTS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 000068 SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND S/WCI, JUSTICE FOR DOJ/OIA E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KAWC ICTY HR SUBJECT: JUSTICE MINISTER ADDRESSES WAR CRIMES DOCUMENTS, SAYS ICTY'S BRAMMERTZ WILL BE SURPRISED REF: 08 ZAGREB 853 Classified By: Ambassador Robert A. Bradtke, for reasons 1.4(b) & (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Ambassador called on Justice Minister Simonovic on January 30 to hear his explanation of the steps Croatia has taken to find missing documents requested by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) (reftel),ahead of the ICTY Chief Prosecutor's visit to Zagreb on February 5. Simonovic said that Croatia has done everything it could to find the missing documents and has discovered that Brammertz is using an incorrect chain of command in his case. Simonovic will present Brammertz with what Croatian experts say is the true chain of command and the documents that resulted from this alternative chain. Simonovic claimed that Brammertz will be pleased and surprised by the additional information Croatia will present. On a separate topic, Simonovic also assured the Ambassador that Croatia will consider new Constitutional provisions opening the door to new US-Croatia extradition treaty as part of the process of adapting the Croatian Constitution to comply with European Union accession requirements. End Summary. Croatia Doing Everything It Can For ICTY -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador asked Minister Simonovic for a detailed update on the missing Gotovina documents ahead of the visit by ICTY Chief Prosecutor Brammertz on February 5. Justice Minister Simonovic, in direct response to the Ambassador's question on whether Croatia is doing everything it can and whether a system is in place to resolve this problem said "Yes, and everything is being done to get the documents to Brammertz by his February deadline." Simonovic said that the only way out is full transparency and to admit that yes, there was incompetence in the past, and yes, there had been efforts by some to conceal documents. Simonovic is now personally involved in the issue and thinks there has been progress and is optimistic about Brammertz's visit. Simonovic said he thinks the trial chamber, which has yet to rule on Croatia's compliance with its September 2008 order to search again for the missing documents, will also be satisfied with the new results. ¶3. (C) The Justice Minister admitted that in the past there was a lack of efficiency in obtaining documents or reconstructing how documents were handled and their final status. He said that while some people in Croatia felt they had a patriotic duty to hold or hide documents, some documents were rewritten and originals lost, some were used in teaching materials and never ended up in the archives, and others were simply misplaced, including several documents resulting from an agreement between the Croatian Army and Bosnian forces during Operation Storm. Simonovic added that Brammertz's original document requests were very abstract and that, while it is always possible that more papers were misplaced somewhere within the files, the resources being invested in the search now far outweigh any additional results the Croatians could expect to obtain. He added, however, that the investigations will not end until they identify the fate of all documents. ¶4. (C) The Ambassador said that he suspects Brammertz is not happy with the Croatian cooperation and is coming here to say so. Simonovic countered that he thinks Brammertz will be surprised and satisfied. He added that some of the newly found documents go beyond what Brammertz expects. Simonovic believes that Brammertz will be very interested to learn about the true chain of command that Croatian experts have reconstructed. Simonovic said that if Brammertz does not think that the new chain of command information and the found or reconstructed documents are major breakthroughs, there is little more the Croatians can do for Brammertz. In that case, Croatia will have to simply deal with the prosecutor as best they can on this footing. Two-thirds of Remaining Documents Found -------------- ¶5. (C) Simonovic said that Brammertz's requests for a remaining 158 documents are based on erroneous assumptions of the chain of command. Simonovic asserted that the true chain of command could produce only 90 documents related to the war crimes charges. However, some of these 90 possible documents were never produced because of ongoing troop movements at the time. Out of 90 documents the Croatian experts believe to be ZAGREB 00000068 002 OF 002 crucial under their version of the chain of command, Simonovic believes they have produced around 60, including all police documents and 80 percent of what Simonovic described as core documents. He stated that the government is currently trying to establish precisely how many documents were actually produced, when they were produced, where they are or should be, and is approaching persons last known to be in possession of the documents. Officials are asking these persons where the documents are, and are spelling out potential penalties for concealing documents. He also acknowledged that some documents had been located after being misplaced, and these will be turned over to Brammertz during his visit. Most Artillery Logs Found or Reconstructed -------------- ¶6. (C) Concerning artillery logs, Simonovic noted that five sets of documents dealing with artillery are linked to the Brammertz concerns. He said that two of the sets are complete, with full documentation. Another two sets are compiled from source documents that, although not in the exact form of the expected document, are equivalent to the originals, such as from private diaries and handwritten notes. The last set of documents is missing, and, while it could be reproduced, it would not come from original sources at the time of the events. Charges Filed for Destroying Documents -------------- ¶7. (C) On the issue of recent indictments against individuals believed to be involved in concealing documents, Simonovic said that the first hearing has been held for one of the three persons charged with concealing or destroying documents and that the first defendant pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors have no proof that these three men had any of the documents in Brammertz's request, he said, but they did have control over documents that should have gone to the archives, so they did violate Croatian law and will be prosecuted. He added that some of the documents contained information that was equivalent to those in Brammertz request, for instance notes that contained information that should be in official documents. Potential for New Indictments -------------- ¶8. (C) Throughout the meeting, Simonovic mentioned several times that he expects Brammertz to be surprised by the revised chain of command and new documents. He also raised the possibility of new indictments based on the new information Brammertz is to receive. Although he did not identify any specific names, he obliquely mentioned that there could be public or political fallout from possible new indictments. Extraditions -------------- ¶9. (C) At the end of the meeting, the Ambassador noted continued US interest in pursuing a new extradition treaty, but that any serious progress was forestalled by Croatia's prohibition on extradition of its own nationals. The Ambassador requested that, as the GoC rewrites its Constitution to comply with the European arrest warrant among other EU accession requirements, that it also consider langauge allowing the possibility of extradition of its citizens on a bilateral basis with other countries. Simonovic assured the Ambassador that Croatia will consider the U.S. request. Simonovic said that he raised amending the Constitution to include non-EU countries at a recent National Security Council meeting as a way to improve regional ties for fighting transnational crime. He noted that the issue of war crimes makes blanket permission for extradition of citizens a non-starter for Croatia and several of its neighbors, but that it may be possible to allow extraditions for specific crimes, including organized crime or corruption. BRADTKE